Machine for molding confectionery



(No Model.) a ShetsSheet -1.

1). M. HOLMES. MACHINE FOR MOLDING OONFEGTIIONERY.

No. 528,723. Patented Nov. 6, 1894.

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D. MQHOLMES. MACHINE FOR MOLDING OONFEGTIONB-RY. No. 528,723. PatentedNov. 6, 1894.

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(No Model.) '3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D; MQ'HOLMBS. v momma FOR MOLDING GONFBGTIONERII r Q No. 528,723.Patented Nov. 6, 1894.

bNi-ii STATES' DANIEL M. HOLMES, oE ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FVOR MIOLD'INQG CONIFECTIONERY."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,723, dated November6, 1894.

Application filed April 14, 1894.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. HOLMES, a, citizen of the UnitedStates,-residing in Arlington, Hudson county, State of New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Improvementin Machines for MoldingConfectionery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to means and mechanism employed formolding confectionery from semi-fluid material, and has for its objectthe provision of an automatic machine which will produce suchconfectionery in a rapid and perfect manner, turning out goods of asuperior finish and quality.

To attain the desired end, my invention consists in certain novel anduseful combinations or arrangements of parts and peculiarities ofconstruction and operation, all of which will be hereinafter first fullydescribed, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming ,a part hereof, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of my confectioners machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thestock chamber, opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 .is anendelevation of the machine. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views ofportions of the stock discharging mechanism. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal,sectionalview of the machine atline oc-xof Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a plan viewupon an enlarged scale of the bell crank 60, and connected parts.

Similar numerals of reference, wherever they occur, indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

1 is the main frame of the machine. 2 are ears, extending downward fromthe upper portion of the main frame, and 3 is a shaft, journaled in theears 2, bearing aroller, 4, firmly secured thereto. Extending from theshaft 3 are side bars 5 of a table, 6.

7 is a roller, mounted upon a shaft 8 journaled in adjustable boxes, 9,at the extremities of the side bars, 5.

10 is a carrying belt passing around the rollers4 and 7, and the table6. p

11 are springs fixed to the main frame 1 at 12, and supporting the sidebars 5 at 13. Mounted upon the main frame, near the center thereof is astock chamber, consisting of an inner portion, 14, and outer portion 15.

16 is a steam supply pipe, designed for ap-- plying heat to the spacebetween the two por- $eria1 No. 507,541. (No model.)

tions of the stock chamber to keep the stock at therequisite consistencyfor molding. Beneath the stock chamber are two plates 17 and 18,provided with holding lips, 19. The

plate 17 is rigidly fixed to the bottom ofthe stock chamber, but theplate 18 is held by bolts passing through holes therein, slotted in sucha manner as to permit a slight lateral movement to the plate, the objectof such a construction being to provide means for loosening the partssupported by the said plates 17 and 18 by retracting the plates 18 whensugar, or other stock has become em-' bedded in the interstices.

20 is an open, topped box, having lips 21 near its upper edge, adaptedand arranged to engage with, and be held by the lips 19 upon the plates17 and 18. One side of box 20 is perforated with holes, as at 22, andextending beyond each perforation is a cylinder 23. Within the box 20 isplaced a sliding bar, 24, having openings therein corresponding to theperforations 22. The lower edge of this bar 24 fits into a guidingslot,25, in the bottom" of the box 20, the said bar 24 being kept in snugcont-act with the side of the box by cross-pieces 26, engaging with atransverse rod, 27, resting against the opposite side of the box.Engaging with the sliding bar-24, atone end thereof, isa rod 28, wherebysaid bar is caused to longitudinally reciprocate, as will be hereinafterexplained.

Beneath each cylinder23,is a screw-threaded collar 29, surrounding aperforation 30, communicating with the interior of said cylinder.Connected to each collar 29,is a valve shell, 31, (see particularly Fig.4) wherein is mounted a stem, 32, arranged to play in the center of twoperforated disks, 33. The'stem '32 bears a valve plate, 34, which isnormally held against the upper perforated diskwithin the valve shell bymeans of a spring,'35.

Within each cylinder 23 is located a piston head 36, having a packingring, 37, formed of suitable material back of it, said ring being forcedin contact with the wall of the'cylinder by means of a beveled collar,38, passing beneath the packing, and being adjusted by a nut, 39, or theequivalent, mounted upon the piston rod, 40. The piston rods 40 arefixed in a horizontal bar 41, mounted in slide-ways, 42 in the mainframe 1. Thebar 41 is provided near each extremity with rods, 72,connecting with eccentric straps 43, encircling eccentrics, 44 mountedupon a shaft 45 journaled in the main frame.

Mounted upon the shaft 45, are cams, 46, having a slight depression at47, said cams being arranged to bear against friction rollers, 48, uponthe table side-rails 5.

49 is a crank, fixed to the shaft, 45 and engaging with a pitman, 50,having a perforated eye 51, through which passes a rod 52.

53 is a ratchet, secured to the roller 4.

54 is an arm, pivoted upon the extremity of the shaft 3, and bearing apawl 55. This arm is slotted at 56, and in said slot is adjustablysecured to the rod 52.

57 is a bearing fixed to the main frame 1, the rod 52 passing throughthis hearing.

58 is a spring, coiled around the rod 52, and engagingwith a collar 59fixed upon the rod 52.

Connected to the rod 28, is a bell crank 60, pivoted in the main frame,the outer arm of said crank passing between pins, 61, fixed in a slidingbar, 62, connected to an eccentric strap, 63, encircling an eccentric 64mounted upon the shaft 45.

65 is a gear wheel, mounted upon the shaft 45, said wheel meshing with agear wheel 66, mountednpon shaft 67, journaled in the main frame 1, andbearing a driving pulley, 68.

When constructed and arranged in accord ance with the foregoingdescription the operation of my device is as follows: Stock beingsupplied to the stock chamber, the tray of molds to be filled is placedwith its first row beneath the discharge valves, and the machine isstarted. The slide 24 is located with its openings opposite to theperforations 22, and as the shaft 45 revolves, the pistons 36 are drawnoutward through the medium of the rods 40, cross-bar 41, connecting rods72, eccentric straps 43, and eccentrics 44 mounted upon the said shaft45. This operation fills the cylinders 23 with the stock. WVhile this istaking place, the depressions 47 in the cams 46 have passed to thefriction rollers 48, and the table carrying the belt 10 is forced upwardby the springs 11 to such a height as to cause the discharge valveshells 31 to project into the molds not shown beneath them. At thismoment the bell-crank 60, through the medium of the connections betweenit and the eccentric upon the shaft 45, moves the bar 24 so as to closethe mouths of theperforations 22, and the pistons com menoing theirbackward strokes, force the stock confined in the cylinders 23 into thedischarge valve shells, the pressure opening the valve therein, andpermitting the escape of the stock into the molds. ward stroke of thepistons commences the spring in the valve shell closes the outlet fromthe cylinder, thus preventing the ingress of air, and the furtherdischarge of stock, and as the perforations 22 have again been opened,the above described operation is repeated. While the discharge of thestock into the row As soon as the backof molds is taking place, the cams46 first permit the mold tray to be raised a sufficient distance tocause the valve shells to enter the molds a short distance, the objectof this being to give as little drop to the stock at the beginning ofthe discharge as possible, so as not to injure the fine lines in themolds by displacing the material of which they are formed; but as soonas the stock begins to fill the molds, the cams force the table downwarda sufficient distance to cause the valve shells to clear the molds, andthe further revolution of the cams depresses the supporting table. Atthe same time the flow of stock is cut 0E, with a quick movement, thefull distance breaking off the stock, and leaving a clean, perfectlymolded product, without any projecting points. lVhile the table is inits depressed position, the belt supporting the tray of molds isadvanced one step bythe action of the connections between the roller 4and the crank 49 upon the shaft 45, presenting a fresh row of molds tobe filled, the entire action being automatic, it only being necessary tosupply the stock and empty molds, removing those already filled.

By my peculiar arrangement, the discharging mechanism is locatedentirely outside of the stock chamber, and beneath the same. All of thestock will be exhausted from said chamber, and the detachabledischarging mechanism is easily cleaned.

Having now fully described my invention, whatI claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character herein specified, the combination withthe stationary stock chamber, and discharge valve shells connectedtherewith, of the depressible table beneath the stock chamber, and meansfor causing said table to approach said chamber until the dischargevalve shells enter the molds, then recede slightly, dwell in thisposition a moment, the table finally being forced downward to itsinitial position, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a machine of the character herein specified, the combination withthe spring elevated, depressible table, of cams adapted and arranged topermit said table to rise, then descend slightly, and finally to forcethe table to its initial position, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a machine of the character herein specified, a mold supportingtable, pivoted at at one extremity and supported upon spring mechanismat the other, a carrying belt passing oversaid table,in combination withmeans for depressing the table, and for moving the carrying belt,substantially as shown and described.

4. In a machine of the character herein specified, a stock chamberhaving supporting bars placed at each side of an opening in its bottom,said bars having holding lips at their inner edges, one bar beinglaterally movable, in combinationwith stock discharging mechanismadapted and arranged to be removably held by said bars, substantially asshown and described.

5. In a machine of the character herein specified, the combination witha stock chamber, of discharging mechanism in which is comprised a seriesof escape openings, a perforated reciprocable bar con trollingsaidopenings, a series of discharge cylinders provided with reciprocatingpistons, and a series of discharge valve shells, connected with saidcylinders, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a machine of the character herein specified, a stock dischargingdevice in which is comprised a receiving box having a series of openingsat one side, means for alternately opening and closing said openings,cylinders connected to said receiving box and containing reciprocablepistons, and discharge valve shells communicating with the cylinders,the Whole combined and arranged to operate, substantially as shown anddescribed.

7. In a device of the character herein specified, the combination withthe stock chamber, of the discharge openings therefrom; cylinderscommunicating with said openings; a cut ofi at the entrance to saidcylinders; pistons within said cylinders; means for reciprocating thepistons; and discharge valves connected with each cylinder and arrangedto 0perate, substantially as shown and described.

DANIEL .M. HOLMES.

Witnesses:

A. M. PIERCE, LILLIAN B. HUBBARD.

